# Savinelli 901 Rusticated Churchwarden - Review



## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks to Jeff (commonsenseman) I am now a proud churchwarden owner! As promised here are pics and a quick review.

and: Savinelli
Country: Italy
Bowl Material: Briar
Finish: Rustic
Stem Material: Vulcanite
Shape: 901
Package: Box
Filter: None
Length: 10.63 in. / 269.96 mm.
Height 1.52 in. / 38.55 mm.
Bowl Outside Diameter: 1.52 in. X 1.17 in. / 38.70 mm. X 29.82 mm.
Bowl Inside Diameter: 0.85 in. X 0.54 in. / 21.69 mm. X 13.65 mm.
Bowl Depth: 1.26 in. / 32.03 mm.
Weight: 1.3 oz. / 37 g.

At a quick profile glance this Savinelli looks like a very traditional churchwarden, but a closer look reveals a thin oval shaped bowl. This shape fits the hand quite comfortably and holds more tobacco than expected. I was able to get roughly 4 grams of ribbon cut in with just a little room to spare.

The dark rusticated finish is well executed and fits this pipe beautifully. It also fits the bill for what I was looking for, a Middle Earth style churchwarden, perfectly. The stem seems to have a bit of a twist, but nothing that interferes with smokeability or comfort, and no other flaws. In fact that is the only flaw I have found and I'm sure it could be fixed fairly easily by someone who knows what they are doing.

With the shape of the bowl the draft hole is at the near end so lighting takes a little practice. Holding my Zippo pipe lighter over the center of the bowl actually gave a slightly off center light. This is easily solved, though, by holding the lighter slightly toward the far end. If relighting is necessary, the farther into the bowl you are, the farther down the bowl you have to light to get an even burn. Loading takes a little more attention as well in order to get the baccy packed evenly, but not too much.

Once well lit this pipe smokes like a dream. It did develop some gurgle but that was the fault of wet baccy, not the pipe. The smoke was cool just like it should be from a churchwarden. I did have several relights, but once again, not the fault of the pipe, and when I was done there was very little dottle.



















Thanks for reading and happy piping! p


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

Well done and a fantastic pipe!


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks, Jason.


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## mcgreggor57 (Nov 3, 2011)

Great review. Did the extra length feel odd?


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

mcgreggor57 said:


> Great review. Did the extra length feel odd?


Only when I was lighting... Other than that it was actually pretty comfortable. It kept my arm in a more relaxed position and I could get lazy and rest my elbow on my desk without really having to lean forward. :lol:


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Great review!


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks, Jeff.  And thanks again for the pipe!


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## Merkonakis (Nov 10, 2012)

Beautiful pipe and nice review!


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thank you, Scott.


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

Nice review - what tobacco did you use?


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks, Brian. The inaugural bowl was Longbottom Leaf from Just For Him. It seemed fitting.


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## Packerjh (Nov 29, 2009)

Awesome...Longbottom...should be from the Shire!

Now I want one...damn you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Dooooo iiiiiiit!!! 

Longbottom Leaf is part of Just For Him's Middle Earth pipe weed series. It's Gandalf's preferred pipe weed. That's why I picked it.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Great review the pics look like a professional photographer took them!


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks, Tony! I was really proud of how they turned out.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Your Welcome you should be proud Excellent enjoy your new pipe!


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## 36Bones (Aug 18, 2011)

I love that pipe, Josh and thanks for the great review. I've had a hankering for a CW for a while now, it might be time to write the letter to Santa, to let her know how good I've been this year.


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## Péter Szegheő (Oct 10, 2018)

Dear AStateJB!

I own the same shape (Savinelli 901), from the Soirée line. Beautiful, elegant, light pipe, I absolutely love it. There are several other pipes in my collection, I've been smoking pipes continously in the past 20 years, so I wouldn't consider myself as a rookie. This oval shape of the bowl makes a huge difference for me. The pipe must be packed really accurately, the bowl is relatively deep, so the layer of ash can literally saffocate the amber. Would you be so kind as telling me your packing method, because I onestly can't pack this dark horse for smoking it without several relights. 

Thanks in advance: Peter


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## OneStrangeOne (Sep 10, 2016)

PÃ©ter SzegheÅ' said:


> Dear AStateJB!
> 
> I own the same shape (Savinelli 901), from the Soirée line. Beautiful, elegant, light pipe, I absolutely love it. There are several other pipes in my collection, I've been smoking pipes continously in the past 20 years, so I wouldn't consider myself as a rookie. This oval shape of the bowl makes a huge difference for me. The pipe must be packed really accurately, the bowl is relatively deep, so the layer of ash can literally saffocate the amber. Would you be so kind as telling me your packing method, because I onestly can't pack this dark horse for smoking it without several relights.
> 
> Thanks in advance: Peter


I probably wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an answer, the OP hasn't logged in since September 2013.


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